[Design question] Shutting down vmware vm's and hosts. Smart-UPS SRT 6000 + NMC2

[Anonymous user]

Hello,

What are best practices for a proper shutdown of :

-Windows/Linux virtual machines

-a few ESXi host's, all part of a vmware HA/DRS cluster

Knowing that :

-we have one APC Smart-UPS SRT 6000 with a Network Management Card2.

-we don't want to install powerchute agents on virtual machine's, which would be very unflexible

In the past, I did that with VMware vma appliance and installing PCNS linux package. It was tricky/difficult to maintain since requiring quite advanced scripting skills. Some people in the team weren't comfortable with that.

Now, APC is providing the powerchute network shutdown 3.1 vmware appliance. I deployed and configured that one, but somehow I'm not quite sure it is the right option regarding my hardware component's. So first, if someone could confirm/infirm that point : is it my best option ?

Anyways, I did a shutdown test with the PCNS vmware appliance (while configuring only 1 esxi host being protected) : in my vcenter I get logs saying "unable to shutdown guest operating system in the current state" (vmware tools properly installed/running).  Right after, the VM get's migrated to another host, which is logic considering DRS 🙂

Maybe, do I HAVE to shutdown all ESXi within the same cluster ? I did the previous just in order to test things

Besides of that, I also want to run a script which is stored within my PCNS appliance (under /home)

That script is set with +x rights, and that the path I entered near "Full path to command file" : /home/shutdown.sh

That one does not run at all ? When is it triggered ? after the virtual machines are off maybe or in parallel ?

Thanks for the help

Andreas

[Anonymous user]

for the first part, I started over while adding 2 of my esxi host's into a dedicated cluster for testing : it works, everything (esx hosts/vm's) is shutting down now.

now, the script, "Full path to command file" : /home/shutdown.sh 

still refuses to work, how can I make sure it's even being executed ?

for testing it's launching a simple ping :

#!bin/sh

ping 127.0.0.1 > /home/pingtest -c 5

[BillP]

Hi,

There are 2 issues with your script. First, you need to add / in front of bin example #!/bin/sh Once you do that the script will run and create pingtest in /home however the text file will be blank. If you want to output the results of ping to the text file change line 2 to ping 127.0.0.1 -c 5 | cat > /home/pingtest

[Anonymous user]

Hi

Happy new year 🙂

Thanks Bill, the #!/bin/sh was the missing part, now the script is running.

Something else :

I browsed across all different menus in the NMC2 as well as in the web interface of the network shutdown appliance, I'm unable to find what I search for.

To be clear : the customer wants the shutdown sequence to be started on one single condition : if the UPS is on battery for >=300 seconds.

Meaning that if the power comes back after 290 seconds the shutdown sequence will not be started and/or immediately aborded

That means we absolutely don't want to react on remaining battery time, which anyways make no sense for me as the remaining battery time is depending on various parameters like the power drained by the equipment which may greatly vary and also depending on the age of the batteries. Very logically, if you plan a shutdown sequence which requiring a definite amount of time but, in the meantime, the available battery time will never be the very same, the whole thing turns in a total non-sense 🙂

Thanks in advance for your suggestions 🙂

[BillP]

Hi,

Log into PCNS and click on Configure Events. You will see a On Battery event. Click on Shutdown - the Enable Shutdown - and enter 300 seconds, click apply.

After the UPS has been on battery for 300 seconds it will start the shutdown process.

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[Anonymous user]

Thanks ! And if the power is back after 250seconds it gets canceled, right ?

[BillP]

Hi,

It does not get cancelled because it does not start the shutdown process until the UPS has been on battery for 300 seconds.

[Anonymous user · Accepted solution]

Ok thanks for your help 🙂